Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown continues to generate trade interest among contenders.
The latest franchise to surface already employs the NBA’s best player.
According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, the Denver Nuggets have internally discussed whether they possess enough assets to enter the race for Brown, the reigning 2024 NBA Finals MVP, underscoring just how highly the Boston Celtics star is valued around the league as the offseason trade market begins to take shape.
For now, however, those discussions appear to be exploratory rather than aggressive.
Nuggets Considering Jaylen Brown Trade
GettyJaylen Brown of Boston Celtics speaks to Nikola Jokic of Denver Nuggets during an NBA preseason match at Etihad Arena on October 06, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
In the latest edition of The Stein Line, Stein and Fischer reported that Denver has evaluated the possibility of pursuing Brown but has yet to establish itself as a legitimate landing spot.
“Sources say that the Nuggets have at least internally discussed whether they have the asset wherewithal to join the trade chase for Boston’s Jaylen Brown, but the Nuggets have yet to emerge as a bona fide landing spot for the Celtics’ MVP candidate,” Stein and Fischer wrote.
The report comes just days after ESPN insider Shams Charania revealed that multiple teams remain engaged with Boston regarding Brown.
“The Boston Celtics are actively engaged in trade talks surrounding Jaylen Brown with multiple interested teams,” Charania said during ESPN’s coverage of the second round of the NBA Draft.
More notably, Charania said rival executives believe Boston is approaching those discussions with genuine purpose.
“I’m told there’s a sense of purpose from teams around the league that they feel from the Celtics in these conversations,” Charania said.
That does not necessarily mean a trade is imminent.
Brown still has three years remaining on his supermax contract, leaving Boston firmly in control of any negotiations.
Denver Looking to Maximize Nikola Jokic’s Championship Window
Brown’s name surfacing in Denver reflects the Nuggets’ determination to strengthen the roster around three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
Stein and Fischer reported that Denver remains active in trade discussions as it attempts to upgrade Jokic’s supporting cast.
“League sources say that the Nuggets, meanwhile, are indeed actively pursuing trades to try to strengthen their star’s supporting cast.”
The insiders added that the urgency has less to do with pressure from Jokic than with the rapidly evolving Western Conference.
San Antonio continues building around Victor Wembanyama.
2025 champion Oklahoma City remains one of the league’s deepest teams.
Minnesota has already made a splash by pairing LaMelo Ball with Anthony Edwards.
Jokic, meanwhile, has reportedly applied less pressure to Denver’s front office than virtually any superstar in the NBA.
Even so, the Nuggets understand standing still is not an option.
Celtics President Brad Stevens Continues Publicly Backing Brown
Despite the mounting speculation, Celtics president Brad Stevens has consistently emphasized Brown’s importance to the franchise.
After selecting Chris Cenac Jr. with the No. 27 overall pick in the NBA Draft, Stevens addressed Brown’s future directly.
“Jaylen Brown’s a big part of us,” Stevens said.
“I’m never going to predict the future, but every indication, everything that I think about over the past few years has been building around those guys.”
Stevens also acknowledged the emotional toll repeated trade rumors can take.
“It’s not fun,” Stevens said. “I’m empathetic towards that. It’s not fun to be through that.”
Those public comments have done little to slow leaguewide interest.
Brown’s Résumé Continues to Outweigh the Analytics Debate
Brown’s value has become one of the NBA’s most fascinating front-office discussions.
Appearing on SportsCenter, ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks said executives remain split on how to evaluate the Celtics star.
“There is a spirited debate going on in front offices right now regarding Jaylen Brown,” Marks said.
According to Marks, one side leans heavily on advanced analytics, noting Brown posted a negative net rating this past season and that several models do not consistently grade him among the league’s elite players.
Marks, however, believes the eye test tells a different story.
The résumé is difficult to dispute.
Brown finished sixth in MVP voting, earned All-NBA honors and helped lead Boston to a 191-80 regular-season record over the past four years.
More importantly, he was instrumental in delivering the Celtics’ 2024 NBA championship, capturing both the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP awards while establishing himself as one of basketball’s premier postseason performers.
Those accomplishments help explain why multiple teams—including Denver—continue exploring whether a blockbuster is possible despite the enormous asking price Boston would almost certainly demand.
Denver’s internal discussions underscore Brown’s place near the top of this summer’s trade market.
Plenty of contenders may believe he is the missing piece.
Far fewer possess the combination of young talent, draft capital and financial flexibility necessary to convince Boston to part with a player around whom it has spent years building a championship foundation.
The Nuggets have reportedly started asking the question.
Producing an answer compelling enough for Brad Stevens may prove to be the far more difficult task.
Celtics Get New Jaylen Brown Trade Interest From Title Contender